Your Koudelka quote broght back some fond memories, and questions. I've never been able to beat that thing and I was wondering if you could, by chance, help me out...

You see, I'm miserably stuck at the part where the two little girl mummies who can't be struck want their doll back so I can get a key. Now, I've searched in every corner that I can and advanced a far as I'm allowed, but its quite clear that I'm missing something. I've read the walkthroughs but it appears that what I'm missing is something that should be painfully obvious. Like a doorway that I've walked by without seeing it a hundred times (it happened in RE...).

I know its been a while scince you've tackled that particular game, but any help would be really appreciated!

-Tallus

Googleshng:
Ah yes, the twins and their dolls. As I recall, one doll is pretty easy to find, and right around there,
and the other you won't find until much much much later in the game. Like, disc 3. So, head back upstairs.
Beyond that, RPGamer has a nice walkthrough I believe, which has a better memory than I do.

Sequel rights

Hey Google, I haven't wrote to Q&A in a while.

Here's the question: why are the 3 Wild Arms created by different developers?

From my experiences with the first 2, the style of the story changed. Plus, it ended up not being much of a sequel because characters, events and the world from the first were not referenced in the 2nd. Lunar 2 was a sequel, as was Suikoden 2, Tactics Ogre and OB: 64.

There's nothing wrong with making new game "all to themselves" and even using the same name (FF games). But, I think that games in series tend to be even better when the games are related and linked to each other (like Lunar).

What do you think? (hehe, maybe this'll start a discussion)

--Rahlious

Googleshng:
Are they? That's news to me. The reason for that though is that, as unfair as it is, with rare exception
(Xenosaga), the publisher of a game gets all sequel rights, not the developer. Usually of course, the
developer sticks around with the publisher, and gets to make any sequels, but there are times when the
original developer leaves, is too busy to make a sequel, just isn't up to it, or the publisher is just
plain evil, in which case some other people end up doing the sequel. More often than not, this yields
nasty results, and even when it doesn't, the feel just doesn't seem quite right (Phantasy Star 3 and PSO).
Now of course, as for the question of why most RPG series change their characters, and often the world?
Well, think of it this way. How often is the average world threatened by an unspeakable evil? Probably
never. So what are the odds of one given world being threatened several times? Darn narrow. In a close
enough time frame to recycle characters? Forget about it! I believe some of the Dragon Warrior games take
that route, and I know the Ultimas do, but other than that, you generally have to wait at least a good
thousand years. The Phantasy Star series is actually the only one I can think of where anyone thinks to
take the precaution of, say, freezing themselves just in case the world needs saving again, and at that,
there isn't that much use in having a 1000+ year old mage kicking around on your party. Talk about stiff
joints... of course I seem to recall hearing Roger Bacon joins your party in Shadow Hearts, but he's not
QUITE that old.

More than 4?

Master Google,
Perhaps you don't like Pokémon question, or maybe this'll be a fresh change
of pace. I'm hoping for the latter, so here goes: I've heard rumors that
Pokémon Crystal (now out in Japan, arriving in the States for Christmas) will
have animated critters, as well as the ability for Pokémon to know more than
four moves at a time. I've seen evidence of the first one, but I'm very
skeptical about the second one. Since the big boss-man is a pokémaniac, I
thought that you guys at RPGamer might be the best ones to ask about this.
Will they actually overhaul the engine, or is this just wishful thinking by
people with too much time on their hands?
-Chimera Man Nate

Googleshng:
OK, according to my sources, the animation bit is true, the more than 4 moves thing is not. I really don't
see why they'd make such a huge balance change, especially in such a freakish addition to the series. I
mean, really, cell phones?

Play that funky music

Dear Thundara Maker...
After playing with my father's organ (the -musical- instrument, mind
you), I unintentionally found the positioning for Golbez's theme. After
a few minutes, I got a question. Would Square or other companies see
sheet music as a profitable endeavor, or at least release some on their
websites? I think millions of ner...fanatics want to be able to PLAY
their fave tune, such as the Chocobo theme, or the opening to Wild ARMS
for example. Any thoughts?

-EE

Googleshng:
Uh, Square DOES sell sheet music to games. A few other companies too. On top of that, in RPGamer's music
section, there's an entire subsection devoted to sheet music and guitar/trumpet tabs. Go check it out!

Sequels sell systems

Ey Goog,

Crap crap crap crap crap, it's starting to look like I need to buy a PS2, must restrain thyself. Wild Arms 3rd...awesome opening music based on site, need a patch...*plays Wild Arms Intro.

Ahhh.

Although on the Japanese site it is rather funny that they screwed up and said 21th. Because the Japanese are living in the twenty-firth century I suppose.

-Radrisol-

Googleshng:
Heh, I didn't notice that little typo myself. Anyway though, yeah, with all these sequels to games I love
cropping up on the brick, I'll definately going to get one eventually. I am not however going to plop down
$300 for one. Especially since a friend of mine has been through 4 of the things in as many months. One
just died, a couple of them had this lovely habit of scratching up any disc placed in them to the point
of unusability, I forgot what the 4th one did, maybe another disc eater. Great quality control there.
Anyway though, there's bound to be a price drop before all these things come out, so keep waiting like me!

Here's a fun hobby

Whazzup Googleshng?!,

Hiya! I just wanted to write in because I honestly don't know who else
to ask this question to. I recently purchased The Legend of Dragoon for
PSX. I think it's a really great game, but the translation to the
English is literally (and I am not exaggerating, as I am sure you know)
ATROCIOUS. It is a mockery of the English language and of RPG's, in
general. Hence, I really really really want to re-write the script to
the game. However, I do not know how PSX discs are set up or how to get
access to the script off the cd's. Is the script all in one file, nicely
typed out? Or is it programmed into a million and a half various oddly
named and hidden files so that I can never rework it? I can't seem to
find information on this topic anywhere on the internet! There must be a
way to do it! I'm really hoping you can help me, or at least tell me
where I might find someone knowledgeable on this topic who can assist me.
Please write back as soon as you can!

Thanks ever so much!

~Glenn, rpgamer till death!

Googleshng:
I'm not exactly sure how the average game stores its text, but I assume it varies from game to game, and
really depends on the console. Legend of Dragoon MIGHT have the script in a relatively accessable format,
but don't hold your breath. Another stubling block I've heard of from little blurbs from the notes of,
say, the people who translated FF5 and SD3 ROMs, some games expect the text blocks to be of a certain
length, which can make things tricky... come to think of it, if you can track down that little group,
they can probably help you plenty. Oh, and I believe I'm obligated to give some speech about the legalities
of this sort of thing, which I believe go something like you can do whatever the heck you want with your
copy of the game except sell it/copies of it/stuff you yank out of it bla bla bla. Anyway though, good
luck making it no longer put you to sleep!

Quickies

That quote's from Koudelka. Koudelka says it to Edward early on in the game when Edward eats a bunch of soup and Koudelka passes on it. (Evil caretakers!) Can I have my tilde now?

-Jeff "The Weird Guy"

One for you: ~ One for everyone else who got it: ~~~~~ A special Future Tilde for BornTalion since he sent
a letter ending with it over the weekend, that should have gone to CC actually: ~. By the way, the conversation
after that quote is PRICELESS.

This is my boomstick. 12-gauge, double barrel, remington... Top of the line.
You can find this baby in the sporting goods section. It runs for about
109.95. Shop Smart, Shop S-mart

Army of Darkness is possibly one of the most quoted (non-Monty Python) movies of all time. I'm not sick
of it though!

...Um, is Sharkey dead?

Colleen

Best I can figure.

PS2 spoiler!
Hey there.
Just pointing out that Nei doesn't really have to die. You can sorta avoid it.
~~NightTransfer

Well, there is the interesting little ability to cast Rever on Nei and have her help kill Neifirst, but
she still dies after. Of course then you have room for another character, like Shir! Useless in combat,
but great for uh... "discount" weapons.

When will pigs fly?

-Sephiroco

When they're good and ready!

The Last Laugh:

OK! There's the column for you! Tomorrow, IceSeraphim will be here, to answer all your questions on Suikoden,
Xenogears, the PS series, or whatever else you send in. Oh, and of course if you want the cushy guest host
seat, all it'll cost you is Suikogaiden or Rockman Complete Works 2,3, or 5.